


Whispers of the Stone

by Nelioe



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives except Thorin, Discrimination, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fíli Needs a Hug too, Fíli as King, Head Injury, Kili needs a hug, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Misunderstandings, Ori to the Rescue, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 19:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5060728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nelioe/pseuds/Nelioe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are tales told about Erebor. Of the mountain being alive, taking on a form and wandering at night through halls and hallways. Ori has never believed such stories, until one day he hears the whispering, but what he finds isn’t what he’d expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whispers of the Stone

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know how this happened. I suddenly had the idea and wrote until it was done, it's strange and probably not medically accurate, but I hope you still enjoy it.

 

 

Ori sighed when he thought of the time. Dori wouldn’t be pleased when he came home. Of course his older brother was happy about the work he did and that he wasn’t involved with anything dangerous, but even though they lived at the safest place in Middle-Earth – for dwarves at least – he still worried too much whenever Ori came home later than arranged. If it weren’t for Nori Dori would probably already run around and turn the mountain upside down. It was annoying, but Ori knew Dori was only worried after raising Ori himself since the death of their parents. Still, it wasn’t always easy to keep this in mind with Dori’s mothering, especially after they’d all fought together in the great battle, now known as the battle of five armies. He was an adult and there was nothing to be afraid of!

Taking a deep breath Ori set off for home. It was a long way from the library to where he lived with his brothers but at this time he was the only one on the streets. Torches and lanterns illuminated the way here and there, but he was also glad to carry his own lamb with him, for there were only lights placed in the huge halls while the narrow hallways stretched in complete darkness. Dwarves were used to it, but since they had returned barely half a year ago to this mountain it was sometimes still hard to adjust after nearly a year away from the safety of the stone. At least this place wasn’t the road; he didn’t have to worry about anything.

Ori was nearly home, aloof from the patrolling routes of the guards when he heard it. Footsteps and whispers at the next junction. The young scribe froze, feeling as if it wasn’t done on his own accord. A strange fear started to creep into his bones, something he hadn’t felt since their company had been attacked by spiders in Mirkwood. He just stood there, stone silent, with a rapid pounding heartbeat while he felt nauseous and hot all at the same time. Trying to take deep breaths Ori told himself that here weren’t any spiders and if so then they definitely weren’t the size of dwarves. He lived under this mountain long enough to know there was nothing to be afraid of. However, the whispering wasn’t the imagination of his mind, tired and perhaps a bit agitated after such a long day of work. The whispering was near and it came closer.

With the light of the lantern the darkness seemed even more menacing. The steps and the whispering came closer and Ori strained his ears to hear what was said, but his own pounding heart echoed too loud in his ears and before he was able to will it to calm down a shadow had already passed the junction with a few long strides. Too fast, too dark. Only a black figure could be spotted before it disappeared again.

The tension left his shoulders with the receding whispering and his breathing seemed to slow down as well. Why had he been so afraid? It could’ve only been a dwarf, but why wasn’t this person carrying a lantern? It was odd, despite the adaption of dwarven-eyes to dark places they still needed a bit of light to navigate. Of course Ori knew the stories of the mountain coming to live at night and wandering through the halls, restless and whispering, searching for its heart and the young scribe had also heard a few people in the library talking about seeing a strange shadow, but it were only tales. Tales to scare dwarflings to stay in bed at night and not go wandering through the wide halls. Tales that seemed to be as old as the mountain itself, however, Ori knew better. His studies in the library had informed him the stories hadn’t been told before a dwarf had found the Arkenstone also called the heart of Erebor. Probably the nonsense of a few miners or enviers of Thror, thinking such a stone didn’t belong in the hands of the dwarves.

Dwarves didn’t turn into ghosts or wraiths like Men did and mountains didn’t suddenly wander in their own… body? Well, that would just be sick if they did – he couldn’t imagine walking around in himself, Ori shuddered at the thought.

So the whispering shadow had to be a dwarf, no other explanation would make sense. Telling himself this over and over again eased his mind and he was ready to finally head home again, Mahal knew how much time he’d wasted with standing there and being scared of things only a child would fear, but then he remembered the missing light. Thinking of the missing handrails at the stairs he couldn’t help imagining what could happen. Ori knew how clumsy he sometimes was when he didn’t feel like lighting a candle, so often he’d hit his toes at home feeling his way in the dark. At home weren’t many ways to hurt oneself, in the empty halls of Erebor however…

Cursing, Ori hurriedly followed the shadow, noticing with worry that the path of the dwarf lead to the tombs. The figure must’ve reduced speed for Ori was steadily gaining ground; he was already able to hear the faint whispering again when he had to stop at another junction.

The young scribe reached the shadow as it halted in one of the huge halls, its dark head wandering right and left as if looking for something. At the same time he was finally able to make out the mumbled words.

_“Need to… need to… where… where are you?”_

Ori shuddered, hearing those frantic words reminded him of the stories he’d so bravely refuted not long ago. This couldn’t be… there was no way this was… but it was in the tombs, looking around for something and Thorin was buried here with the Arkenstone… What did the stories tell beside the figures search? That it disappeared when it was touched. Ori swallowed hard, reaching out for the person in the same moment as it wanted to move again. His hand grasped a solid arm and the figure stopped.

“Hey,” Ori said, voice unnervingly thin, while he raised the lantern in his other hand to have a better look at the shadow. Within the radius of the light he could detect an unruly mop of dark, short hair that wouldn’t be able to hold braids even if the person tried.

Ori exhaled a breath he hadn’t noticed he’d been holding when the figure didn’t vanish into thin air. He and his ridiculous jumpiness. Of course they were just tales. It was probably just a coincidence he found a dwarf searching for something here in the dead of the night. A creepy coincidence, but a coincidence nonetheless. And then the dwarf turned his head oh so slowly and wide brown eyes met his in the light of the lamp.

“Kíli,” Ori gasped. “What are you doing here?” And how had Ori not recognised him? The short hair should’ve given him away. Hair that had been shorn so Thranduil’s healer could treat him and save his life. Hair that was just growing in again and finally hiding the long scar. Ori wanted to tell himself it was the tiredness after working more than usually, but if he had to be honest he was perhaps not as brave as he’d believed himself to be after the battle. Orcs couldn’t scare him any longer, but a strange figure in the night and the mysterious danger it might carry turned him again into the young dwarf he’d been when entering Bag End.

Kíli meanwhile blinked and stared at him with so much confusion Ori started to feel uneasy under his strong gaze, as if the prince thought he should know why he was wandering through Erebor in the darkness.

“I was looking for Fíli,” he finally replied.

Ori’s mouth formed a silent ‘oh’, feeling completely at loss. His contact with Kíli since the injury had been limited. He had noticed that the younger dwarf was changed, but wasn’t quite sure how to act around him. The scribe hadn’t been there when the brunet was wounded, only learned through Dwalin and Fíli some time later that Kíli had tried to save his brother, who had been captured by Azog. He had been successful but a mace had hit his head pretty badly. Ori didn’t know what Thranduil’s healer had done when Óin surrendered, telling them there was nothing he could do to help Kíli, but it had worked. The prince was healed… at least on the outside. According to the deaf dwarf Kíli’s strange behaviour wasn’t uncommon after a head wound, Ori wouldn’t know, the only other dwarf with such an injury he’d met so far had been Bifur, but the scribe trusted Óin’s judgement. Even so Ori had realised pretty fast that Kíli and Bifur were suffering from different effects.

“You won’t find Fíli here,” he carefully told the other dwarf, gently taking hold of Kíli’s hand in an attempt to tug him cautiously in hopes this would be all that was needed for him to follow Ori.

But Kíli stayed and watched him with an expression that was so unusual for Kíli it broke Ori’s heart. He’d never understood with such brutality that the friend of old was gone. This Kíli seemed almost like a stranger.

“But I need to find Fíli.”

“Well, he isn’t down here, so why don’t we go to Fíli?”

“You know where Fíli is?”

Although Ori wasn’t feeling very well with Kíli looking at him with so much hope he still tried to smile kindly and nodded.

“Yes, I know where he is.”

And this time when he attempted to pull Kíli with him the younger dwarf obeyed. The royal wing was located in the exact opposite direction Ori had to take if he wanted to get home, but considering that he was late anyway and Kíli needed his help it didn’t really matter anymore if it got even later. Besides sometimes whispering Fíli’s name Kíli was completely quiet as he was led to his brother’s chambers. The guards at the access to the royal wing gazed at them suspiciously, only allowing them to pass when they recognised him, as one of Fíli’s most trusted, and Kíli, causing Ori to wonder how the brunet had managed to sneak past them in the first place.

Had Kíli left during the mounting of the guards, it resulted in a small timeframe after all, although Ori doubted Kíli would’ve chosen this of all moments to go on his restless search for Fíli. That he was already wandering around for hours wasn’t an option either or Dís and Fíli would’ve long round up a search party. No, Ori had another suspicion. In fact it seemed as if the guards didn’t want to deal with Kíli’s behaviour, since they thought the _damaged prince_ wasn’t worth the effort. Ori cringed inwardly at the title some dwarves had given the brunet. It didn’t matter if Kíli wasn't the old Kíli anymore. Kíli was his friend and even though they weren’t spending much time together since Erebor was reclaimed Ori would never abandon a friend.

So he acted like he didn’t hear the murmuring discussion the guards started as soon as they’d passed them, but guided Kíli to the entrance door of his brother’s chambers. He had to knock a few times and quite loud until the king of Erebor finally opened the door. Ori hadn’t seen him during the last month, due to the restoration of the library, which seemed to devour all his time, so Fíli’s appearance came to him as a shock. Never had he seen the blond so worn out, dark circles framing his eyes and so pale he almost looked sickly. Ori swallowed hard as Fíli’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Fíli,” Kíli, standing next to him, breathed with relief and only a few heartbeats later he was hugging his brother so tight as if he would lose him otherwise. And with a sudden wave of horror Ori realised this must’ve been what had impelled Kíli during his search. Perhaps he’d believed himself back at Ravenhill.

Fíli, however, hadn’t responded so far as Ori had expected. No arms coming up around his younger brother to pull him closer, instead they hung useless to his sides, his features a mask of confusion as his lips looked like they were forming the name of the young prince.

“I found him in the tombs searching for you,” Ori told his friend.

His words pulled Fíli from his trance, causing him to become aware of the scribe in front of his door. Bracing himself the king loosened Kíli’s arms and ushered him into his chambers, giving Ori at the same time a sign to follow them. He remained in the living room while Kíli and Fíli disappeared in Fíli’s bedroom for a while. The warm chimney fire felt soothing and he had already a hard time to keep his heavy lids from dropping shut when Fíli returned. Blinking a few times he forced himself a bit more awake as the king took a seat beside him.

“Tell me what happened,” he urged him and so this was what Ori did.

Fíli inhaled sharply by the time Ori finished his explanation.

“With all due respect, Fíli, Kíli could’ve gotten hurt in the dark and I don’t think your guards did anything to stop him. There has to change something.”

“You are right. They will be given strict orders tomorrow. I can’t believe they just let him wander around… especially since I’m practically living at the next door,” massaging his brow Fíli sighed.

Ori couldn’t say if it was the faint light of the chimney fire and the lamps or the news of his brother, but the king seemed even more tired now, if this was even possible.

“Fíli… are you all right?” Ori asked him warily.

“I will be,” the other told him and for his sake the scribe pretended not to hear the slight quiver in his voice. “I have to thank you, Ori, for bringing my brother home.”

“Oh, don’t mention it. I know I haven’t been really there for him since the rebuilding of Erebor has started, but he is my friend and I just want to see him safe and happy.” Just in time he managed to avoid the phrase _safe and sound_ , it probably would’ve left a bitter taste for Fíli and him.

“Either way, thank you, Ori. Please, spend the night in one of my guest rooms, it is already late and I know you will start very early tomorrow again.”

He wanted to protest, Fíli had noticed for sure how hard it was for him to suppress his yawns, but his whole body was screaming for rest and so he just nodded and replied with a small smile. Satisfied Fíli wished him a good night and returned to his bedroom. Ori knew he should get up now and head to bed, but he was content right there on the couch with the warmth of the fire lulling him to sleep… that was until he heard muffled voices through the closed door.

Ori was quite aware that he shouldn’t even think about doing what he was about to go ahead with, but he’d seen Fíli’s tired features and the way he couldn’t bring himself to hug Kíli and he was just too curious to let such an opportunity pass. He needed to know if both of his friends were alright. And so he found the door to Fíli’s bedroom not to be closed but merely ajar, the king must’ve missed to shut it completely. Peeking through the crack Ori could spot the brothers sitting on the bed together, just inches apart but somehow it appeared like a chasm lay between them.

“You weren’t there,” Kíli said quietly. “I asked mother if I could see you and she didn’t say anything and I needed to find you. You weren’t there.”

“Don’t you remember?” Fíli asked, not raising his voice but Ori could detect a hint of accusation in it. “You were angry. You told me to get out of your sight. _Don’t you dare show up here again_ , were your words. You said you hated me.”

Kíli looked up from where his eyes were focussed on the intertwined fingers in his lap and stared at Fíli, his face contorted in a mixture of horror and fear.

“I said that?” Kíli gasped.

Fíli nodded.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it!”

“Well, you sounded like you meant it,” Fíli replied, phrasing it so evenly it sounded eerily in the silence of the chambers.

“I didn’t mean it! I promise! You have to believe me!” When his brother didn’t answer a sob suddenly erupted from Kíli’s throat. “There is something wrong with me, ever since the battle.”

This got Fíli’s attention, but while he was finally looking at the brunet, Kíli was averting his eyes again. Seeing his trembling frame made Ori’s throat constrict.

“Sometimes it’s all clear like right now, but… but most of the time it’s… I… it’s all wrong… I’m all wrong… I don’t know where I am… there are blackouts in my memory… and I don’t understand things and… and… I feel so lost… and I don’t know what to do… I want it to stop… but it doesn’t stop… and I know I’m losing you-“

And finally Fíli wrapped his arms around his brother, pulled him close to his chest and kissed his head right where Ori knew the scar to be. Seeing them like that confirmed Ori’s supposition. There had always been little things puzzling him, things that hadn’t quite matched, but he wouldn’t judge. His mother had children with three different men which made him and his brothers quite a scandal as well. It didn’t count, wasn’t important. Happiness and contentment were of more value than living up to the expectations of others.

“You are not losing me. What you said hurt me, but it doesn’t stop me from loving you. And I love you so much, Kee. I wouldn’t know what to do without you. I wouldn’t know what to do if that wound had killed you,” Fíli murmured into his brother’s hair.

“I’m sorry,” Kíli apologised again, clinging to Fíli with a desperation that seemed quite painful. “It wasn’t me saying these things. I love you, Fíli. I could never hate you.”

“I know. I understand now.”

Perhaps it was just the light or his tired mind imagining the tears on the brothers’ cheeks. He retreated anyway, giving them the privacy they deserved, when they started to kiss hesitantly, just a brush of lips at first but turning into a proper kiss not much later. Ori fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, his mind at ease with relief knowing that his friends had made up and would make this work, despite the effects of Kíli’s injury.

 

 


End file.
